Device for preventing fireplaces from smoking

ABSTRACT

A channel-like member attached to the rear surface of a fireplace and extending upwardly into the flue generally into the area of the damper, but to the rear of the damper, said channellike member having an air intake opening at its lower end adjacent to the floor of the fireplace.

Unlted States Patent 1191 1111 3,921,618 Quiry Nov. 25, 1975 [5 DEVICE FOR PREVENTING FIREPLACES 532,335 1/1941 United Kingdom 126/120 FROM SMOKING [76] Inventor: Wilfred Quiry, 60 Valley View Primary Examinerwilliam F. ODea Lane Worcester Mass- 01604 Assistant ExaminerPeter D. Ferguson 22 Filed; 1 974 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Charles R. Fay

Appl. No.2 441,364

U.S. Cl 126/120; 126/130 Int. Cl F241 1/18 Field of Search 126/120, 121, 130, 131,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1915 Nale et a1. 126/130 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 10/1926 United Kingdom 126/130 [57] ABSTRACT A channel-like member attached to the rear surface of a fireplace and extending upwardly into the flue generally into the area of the damper, but to the rear of the damper, said channel-like member having an air intake opening at its lower end adjacent to the floor of the fireplace.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 3,921,618

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING FIREPLACES FROM SMOKING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION When fireplaces are not built correctly they are apt to smoke. There have been suggestions in the prior art to obviate such smoking but the present invention provides for a device that fully and completely obviates such smoking and is extremely simple and inexpensive to apply to an already existing fireplace.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A channel-like member open at one side is applied generally vertically to the rear surface or fire wall of the fireplace, extending upwardly into the area of the damper and then through the rear wall of the fireplace into the flue. The channel has an air intake opening at the lower end thereof and air is induced in this opening rising up through the channel, through the fire wall near its upper edge, and into the flue. It has been found that this quickly induces an up draft and overcomes and obviates the effects of descending cold air and down drafts which are often present just as the fire in the fireplace is attempted to be started.

The channel forms a kind of a pipe, the open side of the channel being closed by the fire wall. A four-sided pipe or cylindrical could be used to the same effect but it has been found that it is less expensive to install and use a channel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation illustrating a fireplace with the present device applied thereto;

FIG. 2 is a cross section on line 2-2 in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is a view on an enlarged scale in side elevation illustrating the channel as it would appear installed.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown a fireplace having an open front and a rear or fire wall 12. As shown in FIG. 2 these firewalls ordinarily trend outwardly as they go up in order to try to concentrate the heat in a direction to go forwardly out of the fireplace into a room to be warmed, and at the top of the firewall there is usually provided some kind of a damper indicated at 14. The form of this damper is conventional.

Downdrafts and cold air very often cause the fireplace to smoke when the fire is being started. To obviate this there is provided by the present invention a channel generally indicated at 16. This channel may be made of any fireproof material but in general it is an iron channel having slits in certain walls thereof as indicated at 18 so the same may be bent enough to conform to the shape of the firewall. At its lowermost end it has a forward opening 20 for intake of air at the level of the floor of the fireplace which is indicated at 24.

The extending arms of the channel which form the same with an open back, see FIG. 3 at 26, is applied to the firewall and attached thereto in any way desired as by bolts or by cement. The top portion of the channel may be bent reversely as shown at 28 and the top brick or other masonry portion of the firewall which is indicated at 30 in FIG. 2 is removed and the upper end portion of the channel is thrust thereto to the rear of the firewall terminating at 34 within the flue to the rear of the damper.

When the fire is going well, the novel smoke preventing channel saves on fuel consumed because it forms an auxiliary flue so that the damper itself may be almost closed, depending upon the size and shape of the various parts, and in this connection the heat therefore does not escape up through the damper, to as great an extent as it would with the damper completely open. The channel may be made multiple or two or more channels can be installed.

The present device, once installed, does not need any closures and is permanently in place without the necessity of any succeeding maintenance or attention of any kind on the part of the operator.

The same structure may be built into the fireplace in the first instance, or it may be applied to precast fireplaces, e.g., the Franklin stove.

I claim:

I. In a fireplace having a firewall inclined upwardly toward the front of the fireplace, a separate pipe-like air conductor mounted on said firewall at the front thereof, said air conductor being generally upright and following the inclined contour of the firewall, extending from the floor of the fireplace, said air conductor having a terminal upper end portion extending completely through the firewall into the flue at the rear of the firewall, said terminal upper end portion being bent rearwardly and passing through the firewall.

2. The air conductor of claim 1 wherein the air conductor is in the form of a pipe formed by a channel having an open side facing the firewall.

3. The air conductor of claim 1 wherein the fireplace has a damper, the conductor upper end portion being spaced toward the rear of the fireplace from the damper and being unaffected thereby. 

1. In a fireplace having a firewall inclined upwardly toward the front of the fireplace, a separate pipe-like air conductor mounted on said firewall at the front thereof, said air conductor being generally upright and following the inclined contour of the firewall, extending from the floor of the fireplace, said air conductor having a terminal upper end portion extending completely through the firewall into the flue at the rear of the firewall, said terminal upper end portion being bent rearwardly and passing through the firewall.
 2. The air conductor of claim 1 wherein the air conductor is in the form of a pipe formed by a channel having an open side facing the firewall.
 3. The air conductor of claim 1 wherein the fireplace has a damper, the conductor upper end portion being spaced toward the rear of the fireplace from the damper and being unaffected thereby. 